Oriental Ornamental

 

Sparkles Christmas Challenge 188 has just gone live and the theme this month as chosen by Billy is 

✨ Ornament and a Bow ✨

 These days my designs are mostly influenced by my NBUS items - I have so many things in my stash that haven't been tried out yet and this little ornament die is one of them - in fact to was the only ornament die I had that was still NBUS!  Gummiapan dies are wonderfully intricate in detail but they're also tiny and I also felt it resembled something you'd find at a Chinese New Year Celebration rather than a Christmas Ornament!  I was about to abandon the idea altogether but because I had spent such a long time prevaricating about the bush, I had very little time left so pushed aside my doubts and pushed forward with this design!  

I started by cutting a window (Yvonne Christmas Window) from a white panel (Crealies Rectangles 44) that had been sitting in my UFO box,  Then I cut another two windows, adhered a snippet of night sky behind the aperture and then popped the three stacked windows back into the aperture.  I was pleasantly surprised with this window and it's a nice size - can't think why I haven't used it before!

I cut the ornament (Gummiapan Advent Calendar 2023 Day 7) from a snippet of silver and added some holly (Gummiapan Advent Calendar 2024 Day 6) and then this gorgeous bow (which came on Day1 of the 2024 Spellbinders Advent Calendar).  

Originally I thought I'd stamp a sentiment on the window sill but didn't want to risk it on the assembled window so added some foliage (Gummiapan Advent25 Day 02) cut from white and coloured with alcohol markers.  

I was happy with this but I still needed a sentiment - don't know about you but I' always like to have a sentiment!  I didn't want to risk stamping so added the smallest "merry Christmas" die (freebie from a magazine in 2024) I had in my stash underneath the window.  It's still a little too much IMO, and if I make this design again I'll just stamp a sentiment instead.

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Snippets Playground Challenge #544 - loads of snippets used;

NBUS Challenge #91 - NBUS Ornament and Window dies;

ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for Unused Stash;

Outlawz Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes;

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes;

Krafty Chicks Challenge #844 - Week 5, Anything Goes;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and hopefully be able to find you!

Kate

Kintsugi and Ikebana

Challenge #325 has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this fortnight we have a theme challenge and it's 

Friendship/Encouragement/Support

Challenge #325 is generously being sponsored by Birch Press and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design team a $20 credit to their store!  

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is the very talented Rita Wright of CardsbyRita, our winner of Challenge #320!   You can check out how Rita and my talented team mates have interpreted this theme over on the Time Out Blog!

I've had this marbled gold card stock in my stash for a while now and I thought it would be perfect for some Ikebana vases (Sizzix Ikebana) since it made me think of Kintsugi - the Japanese art of mending pottery with gold.  

It came together quickly (for a change) though I did cut several vases before I was happy with the arrangement but I'll use them at a later date.  Teamed with a foiled sentiment (Spellbinders GLP-380) it's perfect for any occasion and you can never have too many of these in your stash IMO!

I hope you can find some  Time Out  to come join us this fortnight!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #320 - Three of Something;

Allsorts Challenge #851 - Feminine;

Ellibelle's Garden Party #20 - Anything in or from a garden;

Triple B October Challenge - Birds, Bees or Blooms;

Love those Pretty Papers October Challenge - I hope the paper used to create these Kintsugi vases qualifies (even though there isn't much used it was integral to the design)!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and hopefully be able to find you!

Kate

Sweet Autumn Blessings

Time Out Challenge #324 has just gone live and this fortnight we have a

Photo Inspiration Challenge

Here's a closer look!

Photo credit: Kateryna Hliznitsova - Ukraine

Table topped with plates of food and a cup of coffee

Challenge 320 is being sponsored by STAMPlorations and they are very kindly offering our top pick as chosen by the design team a $25 store credit!

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest this fortnight is Ashwini Rao of Experiments With Card Making Etc our winner from Challenge #319.  Be sure to check out Ashwini's Blog if you haven't visited her previously.   You can also see how my talented team mates were inspired on the Time Out Blog!

You may be inspired by the colours one or more of the items within the photo, but please explain how you were inspired - especially if it isn't obvious!   You can enter as many times as you like however you must limit your other challenges entered to 4 (5 including ours) or you won't be considered for the prize!

I hope you can take some Time Out and join us this fortnight - you have until the Oct 28th to link up your entries ... we can't wait to see your creations in the gallery!

Shery very kindly sent me a set of her Quickcards #3 - Spring Florals A2 Card Fronts earlier this year and I loved working with them!  I still had this one left over and as it had warm autumnal tones, I thought it would provide the perfect backdrop for a little Fika (the Swedish term for going for coffee and pastry) - since that it what how this photo inspired me!

I didn't want my sentiment and pastry platter (Gummiapan Swedish Fika) to be lost on the card panel so  vellum seemed like the obvious solution ... and the best way that I know of to hide any adhesive when using vellum is to create a frame!  However, I wasn't happy with the proportions of any of the frame dies in my stash so I created a frame using two arches (Spellbinders Essential Arches) and shortened the sides before added it to the snippet of vellum that I had stamped with a sentiment (Verve Autumn Blessings) with Memento Rich Cocoa.

The pastries were all cut from snippets of Kraft card and were shaded with Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs DIs, coloured where necessary, highlighted with a white Posca Pen, winked and "glazed" with Glossy Accents and then arranged on the gilded tray.  The little coffee cups (Gummiapan Coffee Break) were cut from a snippet of white, shaded with Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs DIs and coated with Glossy Accents so they had a ceramic appearance!

Then it was just a matter of adding a stacked "Sweet" to complete the sentiment and mounting the panel on a dark brown card base!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #91 - just the little coffee cups are NBUS;

Snippets Playground Challenge #543 - Snippets of vellum, Kraft, brown and white;

Double D Challenge - windows is the theme and my arched frame resembles a window;

Little Red Wagon Challenge #880 - Use a frame;

The Sisterhood of Crafter October Challenge - Fall!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Christmas Totes

 

Each year I try to make small gifts for my son's "class" mates.  He wanted to share the tradition of Christmas crackers with his friends and so I have decorated these pre-bought gift bags which are big enough to hold a cracker as well as other seasonal treats.

One side was decorated with a Christmas Cracker (Spellbinders), foliage (Sizzix Winter Foliage) and candy canes (Gummiapan) and the other side with a Merry Christmas sentiment (Gummiapan) and their name (cut from red mirror card stock).

The panels were cut with a Distressed Stitched die (Daisy Mae Designs).

Here is the reverse side

 I hope you can find time to join us this month at the Sparkles Christmas Challenge - this year has gone so fast and Christmas is really getting close now!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges:

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes;

The Outlawz Christmas October Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes;

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #70 - Anything Christmas Goes;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate

Apple of My Pie

 Time Out Challenge #323 has just gone live and we have another Pick 2 Challenge!

The concept of a Pick 2 Challenge is simple - we give you 6 prompts to choose from and you use at least 2 to inspire your creation!  To be clear, you can pick more than 2 if you like - all 6 if you really want to challenge yourself - but just make sure to pick at least 2!

The Prompts for this challenge are

Gingham, Circle, Basket, Harvest, Baking and Apple

You can interpret these words any way you like but please explain if it isn't obvious and please remember we only allow a total of 5 challenges - ours plus 4 others!  I hope you enjoy our challenge and that you can take a little Time Out and join us for some fun!  

Challenge #319 is generously being sponsored by Lawn Fawn and our Top Pick as chosen by the design team a $25 credit to their store.

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge.  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is Cathy Preissing of Markers, Ink and Paper, our winner of Challenge #318.  Be sure to check out the Time Out Blog to see how how Cathy and my talented team mates interpreted these six words!

In the year our youngest son was born, the commune (equivalent of local council here) gifted all the children born that year with a tree and we opted for an apple tree.  When we first saw the sapling we weren't sure it would survive that first winter but eventually it took root and after a few years began to thrive.  

We're never quite sure what the harvest from this tree will be but every year it gets stronger and stronger (much like our son I guess) and after this year's punishing hot and very dry summer we didn't hold great expectations for this season.

However, when we returned from our holiday last week, the tree was laden with juicy red apples (albeit a little on the small side) and hubby has already made two pies - so Stephanie's choice of prompts for this challenge was very timely and inspired this card - and I was able to use all six of the prompts!

I used an NBUS basket die (Gummiapan Advent Calendar Day 11 - 2025) and filled it with yummy red apples (Gummiapan Fruit Die Set).  An NBUS circle die (I think it resembles a paper plate) was the perfect size to hold the pie (Spellbinders Perfect Pies) and a sentiment (Waltzing Mouse Compact Sentiments) - everything was cut from plain white card stock and coloured with alcohol markers.  The apples were coated with glossy accents!

And of course, a red gingham panel provided the perfect backdrop!

Here's a side view closeup

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Ellibelle's Garden Party #19 - Apples are "in or from a Garden"!

NBUS Challenge #91 - NBUS basket die;

Seize the Birthday #335 - Not sure if these colours qualify for the topping "Fall Colours";

Krafty Chicks Challenge #840 - Week 1 Birthday;

Allsorts Challenge #859 - Anything Autumn

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!   Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Sending Some Summer Love

 

Challenge #322 has just gone live has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this Inspired By challenge celebrates Seasonal Colours. 

We want you to create a project inspired by the Colours of the Season Where you Live!

Our challenge is generously being sponsored by Gina K and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design teams $25 credit to their store!  

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge.  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is Donna Phelan of Crafting by the Beach, our winner of Challenge #317.  Be sure to check out the Time Out Blog to see how how Donna and my talented team mates were inspired by the season in their parts of the world!  

I wasn't sure how colours are supposed to categorised by season - I just know what I like and what suits me (and more often than not what most definitely does not)!  But I had to start somewhere, so I turned to my old friend Google and found this site https://colorhunt.co/palettes/ and picked a palette from the ones it suggested for Summer since until September 21st, Europe is technically still in Summer! 

Then I chose Distress Inks that I felt closely resembled these colours and took out my as yet NBUS Waffle Flowers Postage Collage Envelope die and started applying those colours into the apertures of a die cut made with the Waffle Flowers Postage Collage Block die - yes I thought (erroneously) that I could get away with not buying the matching stencil set for the Envelopes die but it was very difficult to line up properly!  

I started with Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin, Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers - which didn't work out too well for me - at least they didn't make me feel like Summer!  

First I realised that my choice of Mermaid Lagoon was too blue and too dark but I didn't want to abandon my (2nd) attempt at stencilling so I pushed on!  Next, I realised the Squeezed Lemonade wasn't warm enough so I added Mustard Seed mmm much better!  I wanted to tone down the carved pumpkin so I added Spun Sugar to the Carved Pumpkin!   

I cut an envelope from a snippet that was close enough to the Carved Pumpkin/Spun Sugar and some foliage (unbranded and NBUS die which I thought resembled Eucalyptus leaves) from a snippet I used Peacock Feather DI to colour.  I stamped this sentiment (Poppystamps Diamond Sentiments) and used a deckle-edged die to cut it down to size so it fitted inside the envelope.  I blended some of the Mustard Seed DI onto another piece of scrap and cut the seal (Waffle Flowers Wax Seal Trio) - I have been wanting to play with this NBUS die since I bought it earlier in the year and it didn't disappoint!

I still wasn't happy with the end result - that Mermaid Lagoon was really bugging me - so I decided to to hide it with a snippet of light blue instead.  Thus changing the original colour scheme I'd been aiming for and replacing the stencilled envelope with a die-cut one (I consoled myself with the knowledge that it would be mostly hidden anyway)!  

The design still lacked something so I used the snippet of blue and cut some tiny hearts placing them on the stencilled envelopes and the notecard in an attempt to pull the colour scheme together.  

The Wax Seal (Waffle Flowers Wax Seal Trio) - cut from a snippet of card I'd coloured with the Mustard Seed DI - really brought everything together I thought.  I had waited so long to find this die at a retailer in Europe and I was so happy to use it at last ... and with just a touch of Glossy Accents, it did not disappoint!

I must say I'm looking forward to the various seasonal colours being on display in the gallery - I hope you can take some Time Out and come play cards with us this challenge!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Snippets Playground Challenge #541 - loads of snippets used;

Die Cut Divas September Challenge - loads of snippets used (rare for me to cut into a new piece of card these days except for a card base);

NBUS Challenge #90 - NBUS Postage Collage Envelope and Wax Seal Trio dies;

Stencil Fun September Challenge - the different envelopes were stencilled (even though it was a home made one)!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!   Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Movie Star

 

Challenge #321 has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this fortnight we have a theme challenge and it's 

The Movies

Challenge #321 is generously being sponsored by STAMPlorations and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design teams $25 credit to their store!  

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is the very talented Kim Higgins, our winner of Challenge #316!   You can check out how Kim and my talented team mates have interpreted our The Movies theme over on the Time Out Blog!

You may be inspired by a specific movie (perhaps a favourite of yours) or a camera, film strip or any of the many other icons often associated with The Movies

I thought this one would be a quick and easy project - I already had an NBUS die set (Decotime ) that I'd bought a few years earlier!  I made up a bucket of popcorn, some 3D glasses and a large film strip frame from the set ... and I hated it!  I tried a little background stamping ... still hated it!  

 I was really annoyed with myself when I finally folded and had a peek on Amazon for yet more schtuff that would end up joining my already mounting supply of NBUS!  All I found was this (unbranded) die set but it did look like it might give me some other options and was cheap, quickly deliverable, and didn't seem to be a knockoff of another company's set (at least not a company that I could find)!  

I already knew this lovely panel (Memory Box Matinee Rectangle Layers) would be perfect to frame my card and I did like this curved piece of film strip from the unbranded set.  I thought I'd add the word "MOVIE" but as there were 6 apertures on the filmstrip I wondered what I could add in the 6th, when in a face palm moment the song  Movie Star by Harpo popped into my head and finally I had an idea I could run with!  

The letters from this alphabet set (Tim Holtz World Travels set) fitted perfectly in the apertures I love its Art Deco / Golden Age of Cinema vibe but I'm not gonna lie, I really struggled to fit enough onto the card so that it depicted "The Movies" but not look too crowded ... and the bucket of popcorn I had my carefully constructed had no place!  Eventually I found a way to fit the bucket of popcorn (enough of it anyway) and everything else I'd already cut onto the card - they just had to hang off the edge or be carefully placed so that they overhung the film strip (strategically placed foam tape) without obscuring the "sentiment" 

Movie ⭐️

I still wasn't 100% satisfied - the 3D glasses looked out of place among the movie making elements!  So I carefully removed which left a bit of a hole in the upper right corner that I filled with a pair of sunglasses (PTI Beach Bag) that an up and coming starlet might wear!  I couldn't find a place for the 3D glasses and was going to leave them off entirely when I had the idea to place them on the popcorn ... as if they're in the front row at the cinema looking up at the big screen!

And there's room on that clapboard for some personalisation if I want to add it with a 

white marker or a very small alphabet at a later date!

I hope you can find some Time Out and come join us this fortnight at The Movies!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #90 - NBUS Decotime and unbranded sets;

Die Cut Divas September Challenge - Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose - everything except the panel and base were cut from snippets left over from previous projects;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Bake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Sparkles Christmas Challenge 187 has just gone live and it was my turn to pick a theme and I chose 

"How Sweet it is!"

 Think hot cocoa, cookies, candy canes ...

I had a lot of fun with this card though it was a lot of work!  I didn't mind though as it's for my daughter-in-law (a pastry chef) - I think she'll get a kick out of it!  Will I be making this particular design again - probably not!  But perhaps that adorable little plate of cookies in a more CAS design ...

The cookies, plate, tray, rolling pin, candy canes and hot chocolate with marshmallows (Papertrey Ink Cookie Swap) were cut from loads of snippets.  

I cut "BAKE" (The Greetery Bake it Merry) from red and green card stock and generated some computer text (Are you Freakin'Serious font) so that it would fit on the rolling pin.  

It still need something in the upper corners so I added some foliage (Sizzix Winter Foliage) 

... and I nibbled on one of one the cookies with a scalloped circle punch.

Here are some closeups

I hope you can find time to join us this month at the Sparkles Christmas Challenge - this year has gone so fast and Christmas is getting close now!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #90 - Both baking sets are NBUS;

Inspired by Challenge #IB404 - Inspired by this lovely red and green Kitchen scene;

Snippets Challenge #540 - many, many snippets used for this card;

Die Cut Divas September Challenge - Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose (Almost everything apart from the base and front panel were from leftover pieces from previous projects - Waste not, Want not!);

ABC Christmas Challenge P,Q,R - R is for rectangle (the shape of the baking tray) and Q (there are 4 biscuits on that tray);

Christmas Crafts All Year Long September Challenge - R is for Rolling Pin;

The Outlawz September Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas goes;

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate 

Inspired by Gaudi

Time Out Challenge #320 has just gone live and this fortnight we have a

Photo Inspiration Challenge

I snapped this photo last year when I toured Europe with my sister.  It was taken inside the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and this photo does not do it justice!  It was a humbling experience to be inside such a work of art and I have to admit the beauty and majesty of the Sagrada Familia knocked the air right out of my lungs when I first saw it - I think I may even have shed a tear!  This is just one of dozens of arched windows, all slightly different and all designed to transform the incoming light into a kaleidoscope of colour on those interior columns and carefully placed so that the pattern changes with the morning and evening sun as well as the seasons!  I visited a few of the residences in Barcelona that he designed as well - Gaudi was a genius and like so many geniuses was largely unappreciated in his own time!  Fortunately there were enough people who did appreciate his genius and there are still examples of his genius dotted around Barcelona today!

Here's a closer look!

Challenge 320 is being sponsored by Top Flight Stamps and they are very kindly offering our top pick as chosen by the design team a $25 store credit!

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest this fortnight is Jane Taylor of Purple Jet our winner from Challenge #315.  Be sure to check out Jane's Instagram Account if you haven't visited her previously.   You can also see how my talented team mates were inspired on the Time Out Blog!

You may be inspired by the architecture, the colours or the shapes.  Please explain how you were inspired - especially if it isn't obvious!   You can enter as many times as you like but please limit your other challenges entered to 4 (5 including ours)!  I hope you can take some Time Out and join us this fortnight - you have until the July 22nd to link up your entries ... can't wait to see your creations in the gallery!

Normally I would have looked to my pile of NBUS items for inspiration but how could I pass on the opportunity to use this lovely window die (Poppystamps Arched Gothic Cathedral Window) again - I mean it's perfect isn't it!

For the "stained glass", I searched through my copious papers but I couldn't get the ombre look I wanted so I visited the digital site PNGWING and found this image which I loaded into Word and reoriented (so that the warmer reds were on the bottom and the cooler blues on the top) and resized to fit behind the window.

I cut the aperture from the card panel, placed the "stained glass" behind this, then added the die cut back into the aperture.  I stacked another of the background windows (there are 2 dies in the set) then added the finer silver die cut to the top.

I decided to go with a Christmas sentiment (Spellbinders Handmade Sentiments) and augment my Christmas card stash - after all we're over half way through the year now!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Christmas Cards All Year Round August Challenge - "P is for Peace" (which is what I felt inside the "Q is for quiet" Sagrada Familia); 

52 Christmas Card August Challenge - No Snow;

The Outlawz August Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas goes;

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #209 - Anything Christmas Goes!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Harlequin Floral Tiles

Time Out Challenge #319 has just gone live and we have another Pick 2 Challenge!

The concept of a Pick 2 Challenge is simple - we give you 6 prompts to choose from and you use at least 2 to inspire your creation!  To be clear, you can pick more than 2 if you like - all 6 if you really want to challenge yourself - but just make sure to pick at least 2!

The Prompts for this challenge are

Monochrome, Geometric, Floral, Stitching, Birthday and CAS!

You can interpret these words any way you like but please explain if it isn't obvious and please remember we only allow a total of 5 challenges - ours plus 4 others!  I hope you enjoy our challenge and that you can take a little Time Out and join us for some fun!  

Challenge #319 is generously being sponsored by Newton's Nook and our Top Pick as chosen by the design team a $25 credit to their store.

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge.  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is Heather Heroldt of Handmade by Heather, our winner of Challenge #314.  Be sure to check out the Time Out Blog to see how how Heather and my talented team mates interpreted these six words!

It's been a while since I've managed all 6 word prompts but once I had chosen this diamond shape (Spellbinders Floral Mini Tiles die set) for its floral and geometric properties, the other four prompts just fell into place - I chose snippets of various pinks to make the card Monochrome, kept the design CAS and added a stitched frame and a Happy Birthday banner!  

I've left some space above the diamonds so I can add a name and personalise this birthday card once I've decided who I'll give it to ... should be a little more balanced once I do that!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

Snippets Playground Challenge #538 - loads of snippets used;

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Monochrome;

Triple B August '26 Challenge - Blooms only;

Krafty Chicks Challenge #832- Birthday Week;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!   Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Keeping it Clean and Simple

Sparkles Christmas Challenge 187 has just gone live and Helen has chosen "CAS" as our theme for August!

I decided to use this halmbock die (2025 Gummiapan Advent Calendar) for my CAS design.  A halmbock is a traditional Scandinavian Christmas decoration often placed at the foot of the Christmas tree - made from woven straw and tied with (usually) red ribbon.  

Since the goat is often placed at the foot of the Christmas tree, I laid down a few branches (also from the 2025 Gummiapan Advent Calendar) to resemble just the bottom of a Christmas tree and added a few red baubles to make it look more festive.  The square panel was cut so that the rest of the tree is off the edge.

I wanted a "God Jul" sentiment (Waltzing Mouse Alpine Christmas) in keeping with the Scandinavian theme.

Using a small panel like this or an aperture is the easiest way I know of to keep a design CAS.  Loads of white space with a minimal colour palette relying on depth and texture for interest. 

I hope you can find time to join us this month at the Sparkles Christmas Challenge - I don't want to worry you but we're over half way through the year now!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #89 - NBUS Halmbock and Fir Branch;

The Outlawz August Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas goes;

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #69 - Anything Christmas Goes;

Krafty Chicks Challenge #831 - Week 5 Anything Goes;

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes;

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate 

Mother Nature

A new challenge has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this Inspired By challenge celebrates Mother Nature. 

We want you to create a project inspired by:

The Environment: Mountains, oceans, forests, weather, and ecosystems.

Living Things: Plants, animals.

Nature Itself: Features and processes that exist independently of human creation.

We can't wait to see how Mother Nature inspires you! 

Challenge #318 is generously being sponsored by Lawn Fawn and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design teams a $25 credit to their store!

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  We don't have a Guest Designer this fortnight but make sure you check out the Time Out Blog to see how my talented team mates were inspired by Mother Nature over on the Time Out Blog!

I had to think really hard about this one!  What do I most admire about Mother Nature, what do I love about Mother Nature, what colours does Mother Nature inspire me to use ...

The hexagon shape is something that has always fascinated me!  It has the ability to perfectly tessellate - covering a surface completely without gaps and using minimal material.  This makes it incredibly efficient in nature and a popular choice for organisms that prioritise structure and strength!  It doesn't look like it could occur naturally yet does!

Flowers are also one of my favourite things about nature so today I have used the hexagonal Floral Mini Tiles (Spellbinders) and cut flowers from snippets of pastel colours of the rainbow (something else I love about Mother Nature) - pink, peach, lemon, mint, sky, mauve with a touch of gold for some elegance and laid them on tiles of forest green in a six "petal" arrangement.

I couldn't resist adding this "Mother" sentiment (Sizzix Thinlets Female Occasions) to my tribute to Mother Nature to the centre which just fitted in the centre!  

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges :

Snippets Challenge #537 - see below for photos of snippets used;

Word Power July Challenge - sentiment as focal point;

Ellibelle's Garden Party #17 - Anything in or from a garden;

A Cut Above 2 Year Anniversary Challenge - Anything goes with a die cut!

NBUS July Mutual Appreciation Challenge - Floral Mini Tiles is NBUS!

I hope you can take some Time Out this fortnight and show us how you are inspired by Mother Nature - you have until August 5th to link up your entries ... can't wait to see your creations in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!   Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!   And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate